Tunji Adedeji
The Coordinator for Gender Support Forum, Hon. Mrs Prisca Durueke , has advocated for full implementation of 35% affirmative action For Imo Women in the recent appointments of the Rebuild Imo Administration of Gov. Emeka Ihedioha .
Durueke who made this special appeal yesterday in a release made available to Trumpeta said Imo women still remain underrepresented in politics, governance and administration to the level of less than15%.
She maintained that Rebuild Imo project, as commendable and apt as the slogan is, should be an all inclusive remediation reconstruction and healing process.
According to her ,”in this process ,increase participation of Imo women is a critical building block .Reassuringly, the present leaderships in the state has shown its zeal, commitment and readiness to move Imo forward through an all inclusive piloting strategy and no other co-pilot can be more supportive and reliable than the women.”
She opined that Imo women have the burning desire to be carried along in this onerous task of repositioning Imo state on a proper pedestal of egalitarianism and unity of purpose for the common goal of making Imo great once again. They have the capacity and resourcefulness to collaborate with government to actualize this target, she said.
Hon. Durueke pointed out that in the Southeast part of Nigeria ,indices of discrimination and exclusiveness are still very high. A case in point is Imo state where women are yet to be optimally integrated into these two prime pillars of development and advancement. Their participation has remained far below 35% affirmation action for women empowerment in governance.
She said many women are very discouraged by the level of female gender exclusion that has been trending in the state in the last 20years of unbroken democracy, irrespective of their great potentials in many spheres of human endeavor, they have been relegated to the sidelines in the leadership drive of the state by successive administrations.
The Coordinator for Gender Support Forum further disclosed that Imo women are by no means advocating for equity between men and women but in the most humane manner drawing attention to the untapped potential task.
There is no gain saying the fact that the domestication of 35 % affirmative action in the state will obviously give the women a commitment sense of belonging and buy in and make them effective gatekeepers and advocates of the programs policies and actions of the government ,she informed.
Durueke described modern democracy as the least Democratic. There are the Gods father’s who by their wealth, influence and position in the society dictates the political tunes in their domain. Such God fathers prefer to support and sponsor their fellow men. They are afraid women may not do their bidding if enthroned.
She averred that the imperativeness of optimal women participation in politics and governance in Imo state is crystal clear and its benefits transcend gender consideration , saying It is a veritable building block in the current drive to re-fix Imo and make it work once again.
